Zzzzz.....

I don't know about you, but I LOVE being in bed! Whether I'm listening to music, watching a movie, or reading, doing anything in bed makes it that much better of an experience (except work, which you should do in a proper environment that encourages productivity). Oddly enough, the one thing I struggle to do in bed is sleep. I haven't had a proper sleep routine since I was 8/9 years old, when I was enrolled in a virtual school based on the Eastern Time Zone while residing in Malaysia. I remember, during virtual high school, staying up till 6AM and sleeping till 12PM. Fast forward to college, where at my worst, I was sleeping an average of 4 hours a night, in 20-minute intervals to avoid the deep sleep cycle.

Yes, my sleep schedule was a mess and I probably got away with sleep-deprivation because I was younger and full of youth and energy.

Unfortunately, now that I am in graduate school, I feel weakness taking over my body. If I don't sleep enough, I suffer with a headache all day. If I oversleep, I also suffer with a headache. If I don't sleep in the right position, goodness, don't even get me started with that...

Knowing that Steph also struggled with maintaining a consistent, healthy sleep schedule, I suggested we try to meet our recommended hours of sleep (ie. 6-8) every night for two weeks.

I think Steph did really well! But not me...

During the two weeks, my mental health took a turn for the worst (more specifically, depression) and I was struggling to get out of bed. This meant that I was sleeping for 10 to 12 hours each night. Probably not the healthiest and possibly the cause of my brain fog during the day but I just could not fight it. Sleeping was my coping mechanism.

Perhaps the recommended hours of sleep work for most, but not for all. One thing I think many professionals fail to consider is our mental health. Before we can quit our old habits cold turkey, there will be a transition period when you cycle back and forth between the bad and good habits. I'm not saying everyone should just sleep as much as they want because that isn't the healthiest either, but I am saying to show compassion for those who need those extra hours of sleep just to face the day.

If you struggle with maintaining a healthy sleep schedule, I highly encourage you to review your daily schedule and find ways to rearrange plans so you sleep and wake at the appropriate time. Maybe you will not experience the benefits of being well-rested immediately, but speaking from experience, eventually, you will. I, myself, have fallen off the wagon and want to get back on with a strong mind and body. The feeling you get after a good night rest should be as though you've been reborn with a whole new body! (haha, a bit of an exaggeration but you get my point!)

As always, stay cheeky,

Janelle

Check out the episode discussed in this post on your source of podcasts (ie. Spotify or Apple Podcasts) or the "Listen" page!